Grad Student Awarded Public Service Fellowship

Krysten Carrera, a graduate student in UT Dallas’ Public Affairs program, has been awarded the prestigious Presidential Management Fellowship (PMF) by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

The PMF is a widely recognized, highly competitive award given to only a small number of high-achieving applicants from universities around the country. The award is intended to attract outstanding men and women from a variety of disciplines to public service, said Dr. Donald Arbuckle, clinical professor of public administration in the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences.

The Office of Personnel Management selected about 10 percent of 8,700 applicants for fellowships. Before they can apply, the students are carefully screened for potential by their schools.

“There were so many talented people who applied for this, and I am so honored to have been chosen,” Carrera said. “The MPA program has been great — it has given me a lot of practical experience. One of my favorite aspects of the program has been the extent to which you can directly apply what you’ve learned in class to whatever job you get in the future.”

Carrera will complete work on her master’s degree in public affairs this spring.

She now is working as an intern at the U.S. Embassy in Madrid through the U.S. Department of State. She works in the public affairs section of the embassy, covering cultural events, writing for the embassy’s website and assisting with special guests.

Carrera will take a position with the National Cancer Institute in August. During the next two years, she will be obligated to earn 160 hours of additional training as part of the PMF program, including attending special fellows retreats and completing rotations through her agency. At the end of that time, she could be offered a new federal position.